Packer sealing element with shape memory material and associated method

Abstract

A packer or bridge plug uses a sealing element made from a shape memory polymer (SMP). The packer element receives heat to soften the SMP while the element is compressed and retained. While so retained, the heat is removed to allow the SMP to get stiff so that it effectively seals a surrounding tubular. High expansion rates are possible as the softness of the material under thermal input allows it to be reshaped to the surrounding tubular from a smaller size during run in and to effectively retain a sealed configuration after getting stiff on reduction in its core temperature while longitudinally compressed.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The field of the invention is packers and bridge plugs for downhole use and more particularly those that require high expansion in order to set.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Packers and bridge plugs are used downhole to isolate one part of a well from another part of the well. In some applications, such as delivery through tubing to be set in casing below the tubing, the packer or bridge plug must initially pass through a restriction in the tubing that is substantially smaller than the diameter of the casing where it is to be set. One such design of a high expansion bridge plug is U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,973 assigned to Schlumberger. As an example, this design can pass through 2.25 inch tubing and still be set in casing having an inside diameter of 6.184 inches. The sealing element is deformable by collapsing on itself. The drawback of such a design is that setting it requires a great deal of force and a long stroke.[0003]Another design involves the use of...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]A packer or bridge plug uses a sealing element made from a shape memory polymer (SMP). The packer element receives heat to soften the SMP while the element is compressed and retained. While so retained, the heat is removed to allow the SMW to get stiff so that it effectively seals a surrounding tubular. High expansion rates are possible as the softness of the material under thermal input allows it to be reshaped to the surrounding tubular from a smaller size during run in and to effectively retain a sealed configuration after getting stiff on reduction in its core temperature while longitudinally compressed.

Problems solved by technology

The drawback of such a design is that setting it requires a great deal of force and a long stroke.

The drawback of such designs is that the inflatable can be damaged during run in.

Additionally, change in downhole temperatures can affect the inflated bladder to the point of raising its internal pressure to the point where it will rupture.

The problem with longitudinal compression of a sleeve with a large ratio of height to diameter is that such compression doesn't necessarily produce a linear response in the way of a diameter increase.

As it turned out the resulting contact force from the memory property of such materials was too low to be useful as the material was too soft to get the needed sealing force after it changed shape.

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